Archive for the ‘yoga-ta be kidding me!’ tag
Article: ‘Hot Malaysian Yoga Star Banned from TV For F-Word, Fatwa’
From THE YOGA DORK July 13, 2010
With all these world record yoga events and baited sun breaths waiting for the Eat, Pray, Love merchandising avalanche, have we really forgotten about the Fatwa?
The wha? Hey, watch your language! No, really, at the end of 2008 and early ‘09 we had fatwas flying out from every direction. OK, mostly the east. To be specific, the Muslim regions of Indonesia and Malaysia. Just to bring us all up to speed, a Fatwa is otherwise recognized as a religious edict, a kibosh, or ban on things that are deemed ‘haram’ or harmful. The Fatwa Councils of both Indonesia and Malaysia made news by slapping one of these fatwas on our beloved yoga, inciting outrage by practicing yogis who also practice Islam. In short, both cases saw retractions on the ban so that asana was eventually permitted so long as the freaky chanting and “mind body connection” remained absent. Turns out Indonesians didn’t care anyway. (Note the Bali Spirit Fest, formerly Yoga Fest, 2010 went off without a hitch).
We’d all but forgotten about the yoga ban in Malaysia until we heard from Ninie.
Ninie Ahmad is as close to a Malaysian yogi rock star as they come, her image gracing oodles of magazine covers, appearances on numerous TV shows and a role as an official Adidas ambassador. So why was her most recent moment in the spotlight cruelly edited in accordance with the F-word?
Via FreeMalaysia:
“(On Sunday, July 4) I was informed that Astro [Malaysian Satellite TV] will not air my episode of Project Alpha that is scheduled tonight because the Quality Control (QC) department said that under Fatwa law, they could not air a Malay person teaching yoga.”
For your reference, ‘Project Alpha’ is a reality show like ‘Top Chef’, but about bloggers! Sadly Ninie was denied her time to shine, because of yoga.
That’s ridic! some of you say. Is it yoga censorship?? But Malaysia isn’t devoid of yoga naysayers. So, fairly miffed and confused, Ninie has taken to twitter to defend herself from detractors in 140 characters or less:
We’re no scholars, but we are pretty sure yoga can be practiced in tandem with most religions, or with none at all. (though, due to the sensitivity of the matter might we suggest in our best publicist tone that Ms. Ninie reconsider her ‘about’ section where she mentions attending yoga “religiously” and her decision to “join the cult”… just sayin’)
Anyway, the physical practice is supposedly allowed, so why was yoga cut from programming? We think Astro at least owes an explanation! Dang it, anyhow. Besides, if the country of Malaysia is going to ban public displays of yoga, how’re they going to make bank off this EPL-crazed tourism wave?
Stay strong Ninie. One love.
Earlier…
- Fatwa News: Yoga Ban Reversed! Malaysian Muslims Free to Practice Yoga, without Chant
- Malaysian King Not Cool with Ban; Still Hope for Muslim Yogis?
- Indonesian Muslims to Yoga Fatwa: Who Cares?
- Bikram Responds to Fatwa, ‘Yoga has absolutely nothing to do with religion’
. . . . . .
Special thanks to Yoga Dork for the mention and online hugs from yogis all across the map.
The universe is working its magic, I can feel it!
Article: ‘Astro pulls the plug on Muslim Yoga guru’
From FREE MALAYSIA TODAY, July 12 2010
By Ken Vin Lek and G Vinod, photo by Ted Adnan
KUALA LUMPUR: Astro had pulled the plug on an episode called Project Alpha which was to feature Yoga instructor Ninie Ahmad.
The episode, which was supposed to be aired on the HITZ.TV channel on July 4, was supposedly scrapped because of the Fatwa Council’s prohibition on Muslims practicing Yoga.
In her blog posting, Ninie said: “(On Sunday, July 4) I was informed that Astro will not air my episode of Project Alpha that is scheduled tonight because the Quality Control (QC) department said that under Fatwa law, they could not air a Malay person teaching yoga.”
This is not the first time that she has faced such problems with regards to Astro.
Back in June 2008, Ninie was invited to be a guest on the talk show called Ek Eleh hosted by comedian Afdlin Shauki, but Astro did not screen the recording.
“To my utmost surprise and biggest horror, they replaced my (almost 20 minutes of full-on) interview with ‘the best footage’ out of all 26 episodes…
“They could have had the courtesy to at least call and inform me in advance. I feel sorry for them for they feel the need to do this and for the Malaysian media which still feel reluctant to feature me and help promote yoga even though it’s not banned in Malaysia,” she said in a blog posting then.
Despite numerous attempts, FMT could not contact Astro’s officials for comments.
In November 2008, the Fatwa Council declared that Muslims are prohibited from practicing Yoga because of its Hindu roots.
The move drew flak from several quarters, including the royalty, with Negeri Sembilan’s Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaffar asking, “Where do we draw the line?”
“Islam is a progressive religion and the ulama (scholars) should be confident of the followers’ faith rather than micro-managing their way of life.
“If I go to a church or a Buddhist temple, is there any fear of me converting?” he said.
On Nov 26 that year, former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Muslims could continue practicing Yoga, minus the chanting of mantras.
Fatwas or religious edicts are not legally binding, but they are highly influential in Malaysia, where Malay-Muslims form just over half of the country’s 27 million people.
I belong to people and parts of this earth that love me.
One for the road
Music Credit: Swallowed In The Sea (X&Y) & Life In Technicolor II (Viva La Vida) – COLDPLAY
I promise I’ll come back
• a Fourth Series Ashtanga practitioner
• and speak fluent Mandarin (and maybe French)
• with my Moleskine Watercolor filled with beautiful watercolor drawings from locations all around the globe
• when hybrid cars are not taxed 300% here
• when veggie burgers & organic everything become more accessible & affordable here
• when Malaysia’s idiot box stops implying the ban on ‘a Malay person teaching Yoga‘
• when I’m offered a Datuk-ship for appearing on yoga TV show in LA 
• when I won’t be sent to jail for PDA act above again.
‘Til kingdom come, tell my mom I love her so & start taking up yoga, guys! You don’t know what sex life you are missing.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can – and the wisdom to know the difference.
Photo by Anna-Rina
When I told people that I am taking a year of break from KL to see the world, many raised eyebrows and concerns. Among the reactions that I received were,
“Why? You have everything going for you here!”
“You must be one of the participants for The Amazing Race Asia 4!”
“Are you pregnant?”
. . . . . .
You want the truth?
Photo by Joe Low
I am tired of KL.
Forget about the system that doesn’t work and the embarassing political nuisance – I am mostly sick of people’s ignorance.
I kept fighting for the yoga I believe in as I know that when MORE PEOPLE DO YOGA + PEOPLE DO MORE YOGA – they will take care of their health & environment more & this country will be a better place for us all to live in.
And just so when I repetitively asked myself one last time “Am I making the right decision?” and “Am I ready?” – this morning I was informed that ASTRO will NOT air my episode of Project Alpha that is scheduled on HITZ.tv (Astro Ch 705) tonight because ‘QC dept said that under the Fatwa law, they couldn’t air a Malay person teaching Yoga’.
Of course this is not unfamiliar for me.
[ Read THIS ]
WHAT, I can’t play here?
.. I know I am making the right decision here.
. . . . .
God knows I have done almost everything I can to change what I thought could be changed.
God knows my faith is far from shaken or stirred.
God knows the more Yoga Sutra I read, the more translation of Holy Qur’an I get.
God knows how I feel closer to Him the closer I get to know every fibre in my being.
God knows that by every breath I inhale when I’m on my mat, the more I realize that it is MY responsibility to extend this life and this health I am given.
God knows that the more flexible I get & the longer I can stand on my two hands, the more patient & humbled I become.
God knows how yoga has changed me from a girl who had low self-esteem for always having been the shortest everything in her life – to a person that sees everything positive, that thinks impossible really IS nothing.
My impossible behind one of the world’s seven wonders
I have set my foot in Amsterdam, New York, Toronto for the past month and the further I go, all the more I know my calling is not here.
I have China, India and LA on my itinerary next and I don’t plan to come home anytime soon although a big part of my heart is here.
I’ll come back when you are ready for me.
But as for now, let me go..
I am(sterdam).
This morning I woke up
..outside of a coffee shop,
.. and everything around me screams orange,
With tulips and..
funny-looking chocolate everywhere,
and asked myself, how in the world did I end up in..
Amsterdam today! 
Article: ‘Starving yogi’ astounds Indian scientists
Copyright © 2010 AFP
From Yahoo! News UK
An 83-year-old Indian holy man who says he has spent seven decades without food or water has astounded a team of military doctors who studied him during a two-week observation period.
Prahlad Jani spent a fortnight in a hospital in the western India state of Gujarat under constant surveillance from a team of 30 medics equipped with cameras and closed circuit television.
During the period, he neither ate nor drank and did not go to the toilet.
“We still do not know how he survives,” neurologist Sudhir Shah told reporters after the end of the experiment. “It is still a mystery what kind of phenomenon this is.”
The long-haired and bearded yogi was sealed in a hospital in the city of Ahmedabad in a study initiated by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the state defence and military research institute.
The DRDO hopes that the findings, set to be released in greater detail in several months, could help soldiers survive without food and drink, assist astronauts or even save the lives of people trapped in natural disasters.
“(Jani’s) only contact with any kind of fluid was during gargling and bathing periodically during the period,” G. Ilavazahagan, director of India’s Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), said in a statement.
Jani has since returned to his village near Ambaji in northern Gujarat where he will resume his routine of yoga and meditation. He says that he was blessed by a goddess at a young age, which gave him special powers.
During the 15-day observation, which ended on Thursday, the doctors took scans of Jani’s organs, brain, and blood vessels, as well as doing tests on his heart, lungs and memory capacity.
“The reports were all in the pre-determined safety range through the observation period,” Shah told reporters at a press conference last week.
Other results from DNA analysis, molecular biological studies and tests on his hormones, enzymes, energy metabolism and genes will take months to come through.
“If Jani does not derive energy from food and water, he must be doing that from energy sources around him, sunlight being one,” said Shah.
“As medical practitioners we cannot shut our eyes to possibilities, to a source of energy other than calories.”
Love, long life and inspiration.
I bow down to Highest Above that lends this breathe, pulse and wisdom.
For a country that owns an F1 team + circuit and marks the tallest twin towers in the world,
- its’ Muslims can’t proudly & publicly practice yoga, AND
- its’ non-Muslims can’t say and publish the word Allah
.. so God help me.
Photo by Cris Chen
Lokha samastha sukhino bhavanthu.
I might not win on Malay TV (again) but I am never defeated.
Earlier this June, I was invited to be a guest on Malaysia’s leading actor and comedian (I have to describe this since my website’ statistic shows that 30% of my readers are not from Malaysia) Afdlin Shauki’s new talk show called EK ELEH to be aired on Astro’s new channel called Astro Warna. Astro Warna is one of the channels introduced in Astro’s new package called Astro Mustika and to be able to view these channels, one has to pay an additional RM12.95 on top of the normal subscription fee.
When I got the call, I was thrilled and over-the-top excited knowing that other guests every week have included a string of most familiar faces on Malaysia entertainment industry to name a few – Siti Nurhaliza, Mawi, Estranged, Nabil, YASMIN AHMAD, Atilia, Mila paired with selected personalities from interesting fields. I was paired with one of Malaysia’s beloved film director, Aziz M. Osman (from XX-Ray, Puteri Impian, Idola and Seri Dewi Malam success) during that particular episode of Ek Eleh.
As usual, every Friday night exactly at 10pm, I will switch the Astro channel to CH132 only to see Afdlin NOT in the attire I remember him wearing during that shoot in June (mind you – I have been subscribing and paying additional RM12.95 on top of my RM165.++ Astro bill monthly for the past five months just for a glimpse of myself in this show) UNTIL TONIGHT.
I started calling my mom, my baby sister and texting my close friends to tune in as I will finally be on tonight. I wanted them to see that I pretzeled Afdlin himself to a Parivarta Anjali Mudra (Inverted Prayer Position) on national TV!
To my utmost surprise and biggest horror, they replaced my (almost 20-minutes of full-on) interview with ‘the best footage’ out of all 26 episodes as this would be their last episode ever.
I can’t say I am not furious because I am.
They (Ek Eleh production team? ASTRO? Afdlin himself?) could have had the courtesy to AT LEAST call and inform me in advance and saved me the RM12.95 X 5 (months to strictly watching Ek Eleh hoping it was my episode aired every week) I have been paying plus the embarrassing Friday nights I did not go out just to not miss my (only?) TV appearance.
And to do this on the very last time it is aired?
I feel sorry FOR THEM for they feel the need to do this.
I feel sorry for all Malay media that still feel reluctant to feature me and help promote BE Yoga as to they thought yoga is banned in Malaysia.
I feel sorry for all of you that still think yoga is banned in Malaysia.
SAYS WHO?
READ THIS
excerpt from The Star, 2 December 2008:
Sultan: Don’t harp on trivial issues
By WONG CHUN WAI
The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, known as a person who speaks his mind, gives his views on several current issues – from the changing political scenario after March 8 to the recent fatwa on yoga.
ON YOGA AND FATWAS
Could Tuanku comment on the controversy surrounding the fatwa prohibiting Muslims from practising yoga?
State religious matters come under the jurisdiction of the Rulers. It is a state matter. In states with no Sultans, it is the King who decides. It is not the prerogative of the Mentri Besar or Chief Minister, let’s be clear.
In the case of a fatwa, there are many steps to be taken before it can be gazetted. The state Fatwa Council, chaired by the Datuk Mufti, has to deliberate on such matters. Anyone can make proposals but finally, it is the Ruler who has the final say.
Islam is a beautiful religion. It is a practical religion. It must be known for its values and compassion. It is not about punishments or banning this or that. This has unfortunately happened. Islam is not about force. Substance is more important, let’s not forget.
I noticed that in the case of the yoga issue, some people seemed eager to jump the gun by making announcements to show their authority when they have none. The result is confusion. Muslims and non-Muslims are confused.
An indepth and thorough study by the state Fatwa Council must be conducted before any decision is sent to me for approval.
Our beloved Sultan of Selangor who is the Ruler of Islam in Selangor and all other Sultans & Kings in all states in Malaysia DID NOT EVEN APPROVE of this ‘Yoga Ban’ fatwa – so who are you to assume otherwise?
Wake up, Malaysia (and Malaysian media)!
I have had enough of:
SCENE A
CUSTOMER A: Can I just sign-up for Pilates classes at BE Yoga?
ME: May I know why?”
CUSTOMER A: My husband does not allow me to join yoga classes.
ME: Have you or your husband been to a yoga class personally?
CUSTOMER A: Errr, no.
SCENE B
CUSTOMER B: Do you offer other classes like Belly Dance or Aerobics class?
ME: No, we don’t. We are a yoga centre.
CUSTOMER B: Oh, that’s too bad. My church does not encourage yoga as a workout. They say it is an evil movement.
Please put a stop to embarrassing ourselves, other Malaysian Malays, other Malaysian Muslims after that headlines of ‘MALAYSIA BANS EXERCISE FOR MUSLIMS’ on CNN, BBC and the world already!
Yoga is NOT a religion and if you really did follow the final ruling last year, you would acknowledge that yoga is NOT banned after all.
Peace, light and plenty of common sense.
